By Ndanki Kahiurika and Shinovene Immanuel | 19 December 2017

A CONSORTIUM of highly connected Namibians teamed up with a global fishing company that is at the heart of allegations of evading paying tax in Namibia.
Watch here: Namibia’s fishy marriage

Some of these Namibians involved have been accused of turning a blind eye to claims of financial irregularities in the Atlantic Pacific Fishing, a subsidiary of Pacific Andes.

The Namibian reported last month about how the international fishing firm, Pacific Andes, used its company in Mauritius to pay less tax to the Namibian government.

Some of the prominent people involved are former agriculture deputy minister Theo Diergaardt, former State House employee Matthew Gowaseb, retired President Sam Nujoma’s personal assistant, John Nauta, retired police chief Raonga Andima and the deputy permanent secretary in the Office of the President Mbumba Erastus Haitengela.

Some of the shareholders are fuming that they were paid peanuts as dividends while some prominent co-owners were paid more money because of their high positions.

The Namibian reported last month that experts who interpreted the financial reports of Atlantic Pacific Fishing said the company avoided paying around N$12 million less tax in Namibia between 2013 and 2014.

Pacific Andes rejected claims that it cheated the tax system, saying the allegations are false and that the company paid all the required taxes to the Namibian government.

The German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung that received leaked information about tax dodging by several people and companies, shared it with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists last year.

Ninety-six media houses were involved in the probe of the leak that is popularly known as the Paradise Papers. The leak showed how individuals, criminals and corporations avoided paying taxes in various countries.

Pacific Andes went to great lengths to pay as little tax as possible in Namibia.

Some of the Namibians who co-owned Atlantic Pacific Fishing are now distancing themselves from the company despite documents showing that they either served as directors or co-owned the company.

This story also provides an example of how politicians, their families and cronies make millions from fishing quotas in the name of empowerment.

The fishing sector, under the smokescreen of indigenous empowerment, has primarily become a paradise for a clique of elites, who break no sweat in getting fishing quotas they sell to the Spanish, Chinese and other investors.

MARRIAGE

Pacific Andes moved into Namibia’s horse mackerel sector (also known as maasbanker) in 2012 and partnered with prominent Namibians in a Namibian company called Atlantic Pacific Fishing (Pty) Ltd, which was 51% owned by several locals and 49% by Pacific Andes.

The local companies are owned by over 15 well-connected Namibians who occupy or occupied positions close to state power.

Diergaardt was appointed to the Atlantic Pacific Fishing board in February 2013 when he was the lands deputy minister, while Gowaseb became a director of Atlantic Pacific Fishing in November 2013. Gowaseb served as a special adviser to the Prime Minister and also a management expert in the Office of the President until April 2015 when he resigned.

Both Diergaardt and Gowaseb are said to have been sympathetic to the Chinese.

Nujoma’s aide, Nauta, who was appointed on the Atlantic Pacific Fishing board in February 2013, yesterday confirmed that he was part of the partnership but said that “we later learned through our lawyers that we had been crooked”.

He did not give further details.

The deputy permanent secretary in the office of the President, Mbumba Haitengela, was also a director of the company.

Namibian partners in this company said Haitengela is one of the people who received special treatment from the Chinese.He declined to comment. This fishing story also shows how the consortium links to Sam Nujoma’s charity foundation.

Ephraim Ileka, who was an executive secretary to former President Nujoma, represented the Sam Nujoma Foundation in a company called Egongelo Fishing which in turn had a partnership in Atlantic Pacific Fishing. He declined to comment.

Another well-connected Namibian who is linked to Atlantic Pacific Fishing is Ananias Elago, a former deputy director of elections at the Electoral Commission of Namibia, the national body tasked with running elections. He was appointed to the board of the company in December 2011.

Elago denied links to the company despite documents showing that he was involved.

Interestingly, Elago, who works for the ECN, is a director of Egongelo Fishing which is co-owned by Nujoma’s foundation.

Retired police chief Andima, a former chief executive of the military-owned company, August 26 Holdings, was also a director of Atlantic Fishing.

He said he represented the Namibia National Liberation Veterans Association because he was the president of the organisation.

OTHER BIG CHEESE

The partners of the company also involved key administrators of ministries.

This includes mine permanent secretary Simeon Negumbo who served as a director. He declined to comment.

Another director of Atlantic Pacific Fishing was Raimo Naanda, the deputy permanent secretary in the higher education ministry.

Naanda said he was never a director of Atlantic Pacific, despite documents showing that he was and attended meetings of the company.

Former Windhoek mayor Matheus Shikongo was also a director of Atlantic Fishing via his company called Young Rangers Fishing Company.

Shikongo did not respond to questions sent to him.

Atlantic Pacific Fishing was accused in 2013 by workers of poor working conditions on its vessel.

The company appointed Elias Manga, a former president of the National Union of Namibian Workers. NUNW is a powerful federation that is a partner to the ruling party Swapo.

Manga became a director of Atlantic Pacific Fishing in October 2014, two years after he was fired as the president of the federation.

Manga confirmed that he was a director until early this year when the company started closing down.

He said the company has been falling apart since it was set up.

The global fishing company did not only have politicians and business people with links to power, but it also roped in Sandro de Gouveia, a retired national team football player.

De Gouveia, who was part of Namibia’s football golden age in the 90’s, was one of few critics of the Chinese linked company.

He was appointed to the Atlantic Pacific Fishing board in February 2013 via his company San Fishing.

The ex-footballer denied being a director in the company, despite documents showing that he was.

!Oe≠Gan traditional community leader chief Immanuel Gaseb had ties to Atlantic Pacific via their company called Dorado Fishing.

The !Oe≠Gan community live in the Okombahe area of Erongo region. Gaseb yesterday said their lawyers are dealing with the matter. “The issue was a painful one. I do not want to talk about it. We are just waiting for what will come at the end of the day,” he said.

Documents also show that Maria Nampolo, an investment promotion executive at the Namibia Investment Centre in the trade ministry, was also a director of the tax dodging firm.

The centre was created to promote foreign investments to Namibia. Nampolo joined Atlantic Pacific Fishing in December 2011.

Another director is Adolf Burger, the managing director at Atlantic Pacific.

People familiar with the dealings of the company said some owners of the consortium questioned the high salary he was earning at the company. He declined to comment.

*This story was produced by The Namibian’s Investigative Unit. Send us story tips via your secure email to:

[email protected]

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

576 COMMENTS

  36. Today, I went to the beachfront with my children. I found a
    sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and
    said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She placed
    the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
    She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is totally off
    topic but I had to tell someone!

  107. mexico drug stores pharmacies [url=https://mexicandeliverypharma.com/#]mexico drug stores pharmacies[/url] buying from online mexican pharmacy

  233. Apart from that, according to SEBI 2009 act the organization’s funds should be used for the protection of investors. What’s more, SEBI uses its funds for growing the awareness of investors in accordance with its regulations. The regulatory body furnishes investors with educational materials and activities, including seminars, webinars, and publications. Moreover, it has awareness programs that are implemented through the media both digitally and hard cover. In addition, SEBI has an advisory committee for funds, which is responsible for rational and proper distribution of money towards several activities, including protection-related departments. AvaTrade’s commitment to education is evident through its comprehensive educational offering, including tutorials, webinars, and market analysis tools, empowering traders in India with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the dynamic world of trading.
    https://www.theexeterdaily.co.uk/users/tarotogting1987
    Being able to calculate the value of a single pip helps forex traders put a monetary value to their take profit targets and stop loss levels. Instead of simply analysing movements in pips, traders can determine how the value of their trading account (equity) will fluctuate as the currency market moves. Traders who employ different strategies, such as scalping, swing trading, day trading, and positional trading, will all make use of PIPs. PIPs are especially important in forex trading as currency values fluctuate on a second-by-second basis, and the smallest changes can lead to considerable gains and losses. Understanding volatility in terms of pips helps traders set appropriate stop losses and take profit levels. Depending on your strategy, you should have a predefined stop loss. Analyzing pips leads to smarter trades with controlled risk.

  235. The talented midfielder joined Arsenal when he was nine years old. Still, when he was fourteen, he had already been an integral part of the U-18 team and even started the early parts of last season playing for the club’s U-21 side, and he has also represented the England youth team on several occasions. In the 2022 2023 season, the two sides had remarkably different net spending. Man City made a profit by selling Raheem Sterling to Chelsea and the joint sale of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arteta’s Arsenal. It was always going to be a risk selling to a direct rival — and it didn’t work out too well. Article bookmarkedFind your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile According to sources at TeamTalk (via CM), Arsenal have intensified their pursuit of the Nigerian sensation and are poised to initiate serious negotiations.
    https://juliusiudl555555.xzblogs.com/70043324/west-bromwich-albion-v-aston-villa-fc
    Sign up to our newsletter and be the first to #THEDEE news, exclusive updates and offers. StaffordshireLive BurtonLive’s flagship newspaper brand is The Burton Mail, a daily title that covers the rest of East Staffordshire, including Uttoxeter, which is home to JCB, Fox’s Biscuits and Uttoxeter Racecourse, as well as South Derbyshire – home to Toyota – and the town of Swadlincote, and Ashby in North West Leicestershire. StaffordshireLive BurtonLive’s flagship newspaper brand is The Burton Mail, a daily title that covers the rest of East Staffordshire, including Uttoxeter, which is home to JCB, Fox’s Biscuits and Uttoxeter Racecourse, as well as South Derbyshire – home to Toyota – and the town of Swadlincote, and Ashby in North West Leicestershire. All the latest Burton news powered by the Burton Mail.

  305. Ghana FA Cup is professional division in Ghana. Pre-Season Live Want to advertise on this site? Email for further details.© The Scottish Football Association 2024. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Check out all of the The Emirates FA Cup standings and find a complete list of top scorers by season and previous winners. Keep up with breaking The Emirates FA Cup news, transfer headlines and follow the top football players today. What it was like to witness @Casemiro’s second from behind the goal рџ¤і#EmiratesFACup pic.twitter gssAoPZIEI Gender: Male City reached the FA Cup final without conceding a single goal en route, making it the fourth club to do so. Their results included a 4-0 win vs Chelsea in the third round, 1-0 victory vs Arsenal in the fourth round and a 3-0 win vs Bristol City in the fifth round. They also beat Burnley 6-0 in the quarter-final and Sheffield United 3-0 in the semi-final.
    http://bkbiz.co.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=free&wr_id=13987
    Hey there, @Boswell07! We know how important it is for apps to load correctly, so we’d love to help out! Glad to hear you’re a couple steps ahead of us as well.  Use the Mobile Cashier to manage your bankroll on the move, direct from your mobile device! You can even use it to make real money deposits for use on the Mobile poker app. PokerStars real money games are available in the United Kingdom and have been since PokerStars launched in 2001. Residents of the UK play at PokerStars UK but they share traffic with the PokerStars dotcom global site. The main differences are related to how the British government taxes PokerStars, so your playing experience is no different. Fight to survive in this epic multiplayer building shooting game where the last one standing wins! Play now Picture this: you’re part of the team at PokerStars. You spot an opportunity to improve the player experience, and you go all-in to make it happen!

  315. верую во единого молитва
    песнопение сонник волосы проплешина
    змея и крыса сонник
    1916 год какого животного был зона
    степей 4 класс таблица, природные зоны россии 4 класс,
    окружающий мир карта

  317. переселение русских в казахстан 19 век,
    переселение в казахстан
    в начале 20 века ұбт-ға психологиялық дайындық жоспары, ұбт тренинг
    хаттамасы 5 парыз намаз, парыз түрлері манты
    с джусаем рецепт, домашние манты
    рецепт

  319. buy medicines online in india [url=http://indianpharmacy.company/#]reputable indian pharmacies[/url] india pharmacy mail order

  355. Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it
    seems as though you relied on the video to make your point.
    You clearly know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence
    on just posting videos to your weblog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?

  363. Nowadays players can now access a host of slot machines not only in conventional bricks-and-mortar casinos, but also on online and mobile slots. What’s more? You can now engage in quality slots gaming on the most successful social networking website on the planet – Facebook. There are several reasons why many people prefer Facebook slot machines and play them for free. First of all, such games provide a really relaxing gaming experience without spending money. Here, players can just kick back and enjoy the spinning of the reels. Winnings happen much more often, so everyone has a good chance of hitting a huge jackpot. So, if you don’t want to risk your money, Facebook casino games are a perfect choice for you. This should ONLY be downloaded if you’re already content with your MyVegas and Wynn Slots apps because this game takes forever to gain rewards, but they’re very lenient. With Binnion’s Casino, you can take advantage of free hotel stays at Four Queens on Freemont Street and free food credit ranging from $15-$100. The game was created in 2017 but it gives off very 1990’s vibes. Again, if you like free stuff, you can download this free app for real-life Vegas rewards, but it’s best to use as a backup for the other apps.
    https://dellidesigns.com/age-to-go-to-the-casino
    Then buy as many Bingo sheets as you want to play. Or, if you prefer to play electronically, you’ll receive a PHD machine that has as many Bingo sheets as you’ve loaded onto it. quora Almost every online bingo site offers top slot games, and these come in all different shapes and sizes; from live casino games to progressive jackpot slots and whilst there’s lots of cash to be won, it usually takes a lot of cash to win anything decent, and if you’re looking to stretch your cash, you want to avoid these. Bingo is a game of chance, and every number is pulled out at random. This introduced plenty of theories on how to win at bingo. The most famous ones are Granville’s Strategy and Tippett’s Theory. Both consist of well-explained strategies and what to look for when buying your bingo cards. Make sure you study them as they may prove helpful.

  499. Nearly 3 hours without Greenfelt. I’ve been trying to get on to play every morning, and was thrilled that Green Felt came up on my first try just now!! I love the site and am heartened to read so many complimentary messages. Know that your hard work is very much appreciated. More Free Games FreeCell Solitaire is one of the most popular Solitaire games and is perfect for beginners! I have had nothing but hassle-free enjoyment here on your site for years now and it’s high time I offered you my sincere gratitude for saving my sanity over the years. No I don’t have a really hard life but it is a solitary one and I have a mind that tends to analyze everything in sight so playing here is so relaxing and is almost a meditation. I play every day for at least an hour and usually more. So thank you for providing this amazing place and free of ads!
    https://hectorrbfj296318.onesmablog.com/dress-up-couple-games-70236077
    Originally released as a mod for Half-Life 2, The Stanley Parable is a mind-bending, self-aware adventure walking simulator. A disembodied voice is narrating the game and reacts to the choices the player makes along the way. The original game had six different endings, and a remake added an additional 10, so there’s plenty of reasons to replay over and over again. If you’re looking for a witty and insightful game that also has some pretty interesting commentary on player choice and decision making, The Stanley Parable is a great way to kill some time. Valve’s Portal is one of the most important video games of the past 20 years. Its revolutionary presentation and gameplay design ushered in a new wave of first-person puzzle games, and the game’s robotic overlord GlaDOS—voiced by Ellen McLain—remains one of the most iconic video game villains. The first game only takes a few hours to beat, but there are plenty of secrets and optional achievements to seek out. And if you fall in love and want to experience more of the story, Portal 2 is also available, and offers a meatier 10-14 hour campaign.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here